Economy
-
Victoria’s game-changing tax funds infrastructure from developer’s profits
The worthy name, Windfall Gains Tax, cloaks legislation that delivers the muscle and money to build schools and hospitals while keeping planning and rezoning honest. Continue reading »
-
Our White Man’s Media again hides important Australian news about China
China has just signed two major LNG contracts with US companies at the expense of Australia. There has been little mention of it in any Australian media. Continue reading »
-
Unprecedented land price increase provokes division across society.
As our federal politicians look the other way whilst housing prices continue to escalate, a national record reminds why this issue won’t go away. Continue reading »
-
Scott Morrison’s budget report card: could do a hell of a lot better
Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s determination to win elections exceeds his commitment to businesslike management of taxpayers’ money. Continue reading »
-
A good time to end negative gearing and taxpayer subsidised speculation in housing
There are many things wrong with both housing policy and tax policy, and the interaction of them predictably creates distortions in our housing market. It makes it impossible for many young people to own their own home. Continue reading »
-
How flimflam politicians cultivate a culture of business greed
The outsourcing of crucial government services to private operators in the name of efficiency has often resulted in a shameless chase for profit with taxpayers left counting the cost. Continue reading »
-
Saturday’s good reading and listening for the weekend
This weekly post is a collection of links to recent articles, reports, podcasts, interviews, and notices of upcoming webinars, on political, economic and public policy issues, that may be of interest to Pearls and Irritations readers. Continue reading »
-
Saturday’s good reading and listening for the weekend
This weekly post is a collection of links to recent articles, reports, podcasts, interviews, and notices of upcoming webinars, on political, economic and public policy issues, that may be of interest to Pearls and Irritations readers. Continue reading »
-
Anti-China hysteria lies at heart of action against IMF’s Georgieva
IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva’s fall would prove the fund has mere trappings of multilateralism — leaving others to go their own way. ..Many in the US Congress want Georgieva out because she is not a sworn enemy of Beijing. Continue reading »
-
The Australian dilemma: a gas-led recovery, stranded assets and carbon neutrality
If Australia’s coal and gas industry continues to expand production, it faces the prospect of an eyewatering accumulation of stranded carbon assets when Australia formally adopts a policy of net zero emissions by 2050. Continue reading »
-
Australia’s banks got $188 billion in cheap loans from the RBA. Now they’re funding share buybacks
Much has been written about the taxpayer-funded windfalls to some companies provided by the $90 billion JobKeeper scheme. Their gains have come from grants given to them to offset projected COVID-19 losses — with no obligation to pay that money back when the losses didn’t eventuate. Continue reading »
-
Ken Henry: The interests of the most disadvantaged are not being served by our tax system
Those who care about distributive justice cannot ignore the extraordinary intergenerational inequity inherent in our present tax system. Continue reading »
-
In competition between China and the US, Australian consumers choose China
Australia’s relationship with China involves many dimensions and Australia/China relations look a lot different from different perspectives. Continue reading »
-
Saturday’s good reading and listening for the weekend
What people in other forums are saying about public policy Continue reading »
-
With allies like these, Australia doesn’t need enemies
As Australia’s trade dispute with China continues, allies who have pledged solidarity with Australia have been moving into the trade spaces from which we’ve been evicted. Hardly ‘protecting our back’ as the US boasts. Continue reading »
-
What will the world look like by the time our subs are launched?
By the time Australia’s nuclear-powered submarines are ready, the world will have seen some dramatic economic realignments, according to predictions of GDP by country. Continue reading »
-
Saturday’s good reading and listening for the weekend
What people in other forums are saying about public policy Continue reading »
-
Saturday’s good reading and listening for the weekend
What people in other forums are saying about public policy Continue reading »
-
Saturday’s good reading and listening for the weekend
What people in other forums are saying about public policy. Continue reading »
-
Saturday’s good reading and listening for the weekend
What people in other forums are saying about public policy Continue reading »
-
Policy wreck: we’re being told two contradictory stories about NSW trains
Stories about Gladys Berejiklian’s private life or bureaucratic fights might sell papers, but they distract from grave problems in transport policy. Continue reading »
-
Money and policy are the keys to elevate Australia into top broadband league
It seems Labor has bitten the bullet and decided that to have an overall better quality NBN, more money is needed to upgrade the fibre to the node to full fibre. Continue reading »
-
Blacklisting the Israeli spyware company
The US has blacklisted Israeli spyware company NSO, which is associated with the Saudi government’s murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Continue reading »
-
The nuclear industry’s updated songsheet remains outdated
The campaign for nuclear power stations in Australia defies the unstoppable rise of renewables and should be rejected by governments and the electorate — it’s a technology whose time has passed. Continue reading »
-
John Austen: Time to call time on Infrastructure Australia? It has failed
The latest Australian Infrastructure Plan avoids the key issue: Commonwealth (lack of) direction. It seems aimed at bureaucratic empire building and should herald the end of Infrastructure Australia. Continue reading »
-
Agriculture industry condemned to becoming a growing centre for exploitation and abuse
The Senate report on temporary migration makes many excellent recommendations, but also misses opportunities. Continue reading »
-
Saturday’s good reading and listening for the weekend
What people in other forums are saying about public policy Continue reading »
-
Climate Change: will the financial system survive?
One of the few bright spots in an otherwise dismal global response to the escalating climate crisis has been the preparedness of financial market regulators to force their regulated institutions to face up to the implications of climate risk. Continue reading »
-
The China push for a cleaner and cooler planet
Not a day passes without our media damning China for some imagined infamy or other. So many stories, so many column inches, and nothing positive to be found. At the same time, our television screens are full of other images; real images of a disaster that is enveloping us all. Continue reading »
-
Newcastle Port decision: overreach, misunderstanding or both?
The Federal Court’s rejection of the ACCCs case against Government-imposed penalties facing Newcastle Port seemed to misunderstand transport policy matters and give more weight to the Government’s latest excuses than to logic and observed actions. Continue reading »
Top 5 most read
- The small talk about Albanese and small targets is wrong
The notion that the federal Labor leader is running a… - How Scott Morrison is trashing the Liberal brand
Scott Morrison's personality and style has infected the whole government… - A unity ticket to challenge the integrity vacuum in Canberra
Two former political heavyweights from different sides have joined forces… - What is Xi Jinping to the Chinese people?
Many analysts assert that since Xi Jinping became the Secretary… - The prime minister’s attack on the NSW ICAC is…
The Coalition's proposal for a national integrity commission shows an…
